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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Monday, March 24, 2014

A Strictly Combustible Evening. March 23

(Review by Russell)
Big bands are dead, long gone. Oh, yeah? The recent Great North Big Band Jazz Festival in Sunderland would suggest otherwise and behind the scenes here in the north east of England (in clubs, pubs, community halls) year-round rehearsals and workshops go largely unnoticed. A Sunday afternoon at Hoochie Coochie couldn’t possibly attract a large crowd keen to experience the thrill of a big band up close. Oh, yeah? The Pilgrim Street venue in Newcastle was busy. Bottles of Fuller’s London Pride, a cocktail if you prefer, being supped or sipped, ahead of an appearance by the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band. For a review of the gig read LL’s piece. Suffice to say it was every bit as good as he said it was.
Less than one hour later, Splinter’s monthly jam session at the Bridge Hotel would attract a contingent of the SSBB. One hour. Time to kill, Time to dash home and still get to the Bridge on time. Turning into the street – Chez Moi –  the powerful effects of London Pride had kicked in. A car, unattended, ablaze.  Surreal or what? Alert the neighbours, call 999! Several buckets of water contained the blaze until the fire fighters arrived. Sorry chaps, must go, much more important business to attend to, there’s a jam session at the Bridge! A pint of Billy Mill or a pint of Amnesia? Opted for one or the other, can’t remember which, a glance at the tv, El Clasico nicely poised: Real 1 Barca 1.
Ascending the stairs to the unmistakable sound of the Findens on Secret Love (Fiona, vocals, Stuart, tenor), musicians sat around the room, thumbing through the pad, looking for the right chart – it could be their turn next. The Findens were working with familiar faces – Alan Law (piano), John Pope (bass) and drummer Eric Stutt. Note pad and pen forgotten in the earlier emergency determined it would be mental notes (Amnesia permitting), a mere sketch. Make that a list.
Pick your favourites from the following...Peter Gilligan (piano), drummers Jeff Armstrong and Jonathan Marriott, Paul Gowland (tenor), Sarah Travena (soprano), Mark Williams (guitar), vocalists Julie Allan, Debra Milne, Kath Jobes. KJ sang Autumn Leaves a day or so after the first day of spring.
Somewhat befuddling to a London Pride amnesiac! Down in the bar, El Clasico update: Real 3 Barca 2. A pint of something or other, a swift ascent of the stairs so as not to miss a second of what was to come and as occasionally happens one of those  ‘I was there’ moments. SSBB vocalist Lindsay Hannon put on her coat, about to go off into the night, when, glass in hand, she was called to the stage. Hannon encouraged SSBB tenor player Jamie Toms to join her. Our vocalist sang as never before; saloon bar ease, from major to minor, from the heart, heartbreak, joy. Magnificent! Perhaps not gig of the year but without doubt, three months into the year, a highlight of 2014. Apologies to any performer not mentioned – the absence of a note pad and the amnesiac effects of a couple of halves were entirely responsible for, for…something or other. Footnote: Messi did it again (a hat trick) – FT Real 3 Barca 4.             
Russell.                          

1 comment :

JC said...

Russell, I knew you could multiple-task but you have become the Roland Kirk of reviewers. Two jazz gigs back to back involving cast of thousands, live tasting of ales (both real and imaginary), running commentary on El Classico and a little voluntary fire fighting on the
side -amazing! I must remember to try a pint of Amnesia.
JC

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